Pandora
by PaRaSoX
Summary: Clara Burke, a biologist, has been accepted into a budding organization called the Avatar Program created to explore and map a freshly discovered moon: Pandora. This is the tale of her contingencies on the foreign world. Prelude to Avatar the film.
1. Prelude

I share my world with no one.

At least… that's what it feels like most of the time. I'm a science freak. I studied biology at Harvard and was immediately drafted (based on a paper I submitted) into an organization called the 'Avatar' program. My name is Clara, frequently abbreviated Clay. It was through my own interest in this program that I met my dearest friend, Jeffry. We were both bound to love one another, our fascination with anatomy and biological studies unmatched by any of our peers.

Working as a team, we carefully worked on resumes to be hand-selected to 'drive' our own Avatar bodies on a distant orbital called Pandora. Pandora's excavation had been an idea at economic stimulus put into place by the government as a harsh recession settled in. There was some kind of mineral on the planet (Unobtainium, go figure) that was malleable enough to be used for almost anything. Needless to say it was an architectural commodity, the newest part in the zeitgeist of ideas proposed to boost our economic status in the world. The military, for the most part, inhabited the planetoid and whoever wasn't with the military was part of the RDA Corporation that funded the mission. They felt no need to chart the place or learn from it, they simply aimed for the 'cheddar' that the U.S. government demanded.

That's where the Avatar scientists came in. We were tempted by nothing more than the opportunity for knowledge that was stewing from the land's surface. It was a biological gold mine. The planet was said to have been a tropical paradise full of creatures. Humanoids had even been sighted around digging sites. I was enthralled. I could think of nothing else but Pandora ever since they had discovered the place when I was 16. I leapt at the opportunity to be sent as a part of the new program designed to map and explore and discover. It was the chance of a lifetime.

The night that Jeffry and I were supposed to be notified of our resume's final status, we holed up in my dorm room, grabbed some red wine and sat on futons until we received a phone call. My eyes immediately shot to his, wide, anxious. I lifted a quivering hand and took the phone from its station. I put it precariously to my ear.

"Ehm, hullo?" I murmured.

"Yes, is this Clara Burke?" Came a female's voice.

"Yes, this is she."

"My name is Grace Augustine. Do you know who I am?" I knew. I beamed over to Jeffry who had been fiddling nervously with his red velvet slippers. He stopped immediately, a smile coiling slowly onto his face.

"Y-Yes ma'am, I do. It's an honour! I-"

"Nevermind that. You know then why I've called?" She interrupted.

"Why, yes! I mean, I certainly hope I do…"

"Right, then. You seem like a sharp pup. I expect you to be at the D.C. army recruiting station tomorrow at 6 a.m. SHARP. Don't you dare be late, Ms. Clara. I've heard great things of you. You'd hate to ruin your shot with this excursion." Dial tone. I stood gaping at the floor. Could this really be happening? My lifelong dream was finally unraveling before me. I was to be going to Pandora for God only knew what, but who cared? All I knew at the time was that a fascinating new endeavour awaited me, its beginnings in a frigid star-streamed abyss.


	2. Chapter 1

I was as alone, as I had always anticipated. Why would I expect two students from the same college to be accepted? I had always sort of known, I suppose, that if one of us had gotten a yes the other would get a no. I left everything behind to be immersed in this new world and that included my beloved friend, Jeffry. They called the moon Pandora, as though its expanses of foliage concealed some dangerous secret to be unleashed by a woman. I wasn't buying it.

Despite its mysterious drawbacks, it was the most incredible place I had ever beheld. Emeralds and jades and every other shade of green spanning as far as the human eye could detect. Trees the size of mountains threatened to crush my perception of the word 'large.' It was a jungle of planetary proportions and the five scientists that had been chosen to scrutinize every bit of it were more than a bit overwhelmed.

Dr. Augustine spoke to no one when we arrived. She was beaming, clearly even more pleased than she had expected to be. I was feeling just as she was, but somehow to see such a hard woman smile made me smile all the more. I watched her expert eye scanning each and every trunk and root that caught it until, suddenly, it hit something not so exhilarating: a wall. The military was erecting a gargantuan structure that would soon conceal the entire compound. It took me until this moment to even notice the human life bustling about us, I was so perplexed by the alien. We had been shuttled onto a military base. The buildings were all metal coated. You can never be too careful, I suppose.

We continued on to a de-briefing about how dangerous the planet was. Blah, blah, blah, curfew, blah, blah, don't be stupid. Not hard for a scientist, but maybe for the military personnel that comprised more than the vast majority.

After the happy little chat, Augustine took us to our quarters. Well… sort of our quarters. It was a linking room. Essentially, a room full of tanning beds that we clambered into and didn't exit for up to a month. We would be linked to our Avatars by sending powerful neurological signals from our human brains to those of our matching Avatars. They infused our DNA with the hybrids and would use the signals from our brains to jumpstart the brains of the undeveloped creatures. This would allow us to completely control them, but not ourselves. Our bodies would be heavily guarded day and night. If our signals were to be suddenly disrupted, they could be dropped altogether, which would result in the need for life support, and no one wants that.

After a short tour of the lab where we'd be working, Dr. Augustine pulled aside the specialized Avatar team to have a light chat.

"You came to this planet knowing the dangers. Don't you ever let me catch you doing stupid shit during this program, or you will be appropriately handled, do I make myself clear?" We all nodded awkwardly, "Good. Head to bed. You're permanent quarters are just through that glass door, to the left, and through a black sliding door. Bunks are labeled by last name. Night." And with that, she was swiftly away, leaving us standing awkwardly in a cluster in the middle of the bustling laboratory.

"So… now what?" said one. He was tall, blonde, not particularly nice to look at, but he had a genuine vibe that made me feel almost at home…

"Mhh." Mumbled another with awfully nice tawny hair and sleek black glasses. He didn't strike me as being very kind or very receptive of the entire human race. A definition misanthrope, but probably more brilliant than any of us realized at the time.

"I think I'm just going to go to my room. I'm feeling sick from the trip still…" Said a short, stout fellow with a disturbingly green tint to his complexion. We all took a cautious step back. He smiled weakly and left.

"I don't think I'm going to be tired again for the rest of my life. I just spent five years in chemically induced sleep and I'm rearing to go." Chimed the last. He was the most handsome of all. Tall, black hair, grey eyes, and almost a full beard (five years of sleep can do that to you). It was then that I realized: I was the only female, the only one of a highly specialized group of brilliant minds with vaginal organs. Great. I said nothing, shrugged, and got to my quarters as quickly as possible without seeming too desperate. I found my bathroom-sized dorm, investigated the drawers in my tiny closet for the location of my things, and collapsed onto the bed. How had this happened? I certainly wasn't the only highly developed female brain out there. Why did I have to be stuck for 8-10 years with testosterone-filled sex machines? Nothing seemed more appalling at the time until a heavy knock came at my door.


	3. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the late post! College is intense (especially the College of Music _)! I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave feedback.

I frowned. Really? I had just gotten settled. I walked cautiously to the door and peeled it back.

"Hello?"

"Hey there, sport." It was Dr. Augustine. I straightened up, brushing out any wrinkles in my clothes.

"Oh, don't get formal. I came to invite you to get a sneak peak at your Avatar. No boys allowed." She winked. Smiling, I nodded with enthusiasm.

"Certainly! P-Please!" Messily, I scrambled to collect my things. She rolled her eyes and clamped onto my wrist.

"Leave the crap, come on!" She dragged me down the hallway, through an intricate mess of stairs and passages until finally we reached the lab. It was gargantuan. Never in all my years working in a lab had I seen such up to date equipment. Although the place had been prepared while we were in cryo, its equipment couldn't have been more fresh. I wanted nothing more than to explore and prod and examine, but Augustine forced me onward.

As we came around a curve, we were bathed in aqua light. Before me were six glass containers the size of two jet engines placed front to back. In each one, blue lights shimmered over gigantic humanoid creatures: the avatars. My eyes widened until I thought they couldn't stretch any more. I knew it was possible but never had I conceived its actuality.

"Which one is..."

"Yours?" Augustine finished, "Here..." We walked to the giant tube that was second from the end. I walked cautiously around the side. Tears welled in my eyes as I beheld a Na'vi woman who's face was my own. I touched my fingers to the glass as though that would help me to greater understand. I was completely overwhelmed.

"She's beautiful..." I whispered.

"She's you." said Augustine with a smile, "And over here's me." Hers was beside mine on the end. Once again, the features unmistakably matched those of the owner. I smiled nearly hard enough to tear my cheeks.

"This is incredible. How did you ever come up with this?" It was all so beyond my own comprehension. She simply shrugged.

"Thought of it one day, asked some scientists, they said yes." It was too simple, but I was too immersed in my avatar to care. I walked along the glass, tracing my fingers over the bio luminescent speckles that patterned her body. Something caught my eye as I passed over for the second time. Clenched in her palms were five fingers instead of four, _My DNA... Huh._ I thought to myself, fidgeting with my own fingers. I was anxious to connect with this creature. My studies prior to the trip had merely consisted of a guide drawn up by the avatars' creators. The material had never been tested, so one can imagine the detail that the guide went into: Sit in link. Place helmet over skull and face. Lower sensory detectors. Empty your mind. _Fin._ What a big help. Nonetheless, I couldn't wait to be involved in something so experimental. Years had gone by since my last participation in an official experiment. I always loved the thrill.

"Satisfied?" Came Augustine's powerful voice. I shook my head of my thoughts.

"Yes. Thank you so, so much for showing me this... I'm... beyond enthralled." I took a few paces back from myself. This creature shared my own brain, my own DNA. We were the same age, sex, blood type... It was a marvel of science. Augustine merely knocked her head toward the door.

"Let's get out of here, eh?" She held out her hand for me to take. Smiling, I took it and she steered me out of the lab. When we were at my room, she grinned.

"We should stick together, eh? The sexes have to have each others' backs, right?"

"Of course." I was beginning to feel much more comfortable around her. She really did act like any other my age.

The door closed and I once again slumped onto my bed. Finally, rest.


	4. Chapter 3

When I awoke, everything was dark. There were, of course, no windows in my room. I snapped up, eyes darting around. Where was I? Heart pounding, I sloppily slumped out of bed and slid my hands back and forth across the wall as quickly as possible. The switch made painful contact with the side of my palm. I snatched my hand back, waved out the immediate pain and flipped the lights. Oh yeah... I was on another planet. I felt better. Once I was shaken of my anxiety, I changed into a black tank and dark green khakis and stepped out the door. Everything was bustling with activity. I pressed my back against the wall to avoid being trampled, taking care to absorb all the faces of those who passed perhaps for someone I knew.

Finding no one, I walked carefully to the lab, still dodging others as they passed in their military uniforms. My companions were all plastered to the cases that held their avatars. I realized that the fact that I had seen mine the night before should probably remain secret. I tried my best to be amazed. In my attempt, I apparently contorted my face into quite a knot for I received stares from some of the scientists that were checking machinery. I blushed and switched my eye contact to that of my own avatar. She was suspended as though asleep in clear fluid.

"Aren't they incredible?" Came a male voice from over my shoulder. I turned, finding myself face to face with the tawny-haired people-hater. I was still blushing. This I realized too late. He stepped back a bit, thinking that I was blushing because he had spoken with me.

"I'm sorry," I flustered, "Y-Yes, they're amazing!" I whipped around as quickly as I could. _Great. Awkward. Now his impression of me is COMPLETELY fucked._ He raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer.

"Really, it's fine. You've no need to apologize." He knew I was utterly flabbergasted. And he was sadistically happy about it. I was grimacing on the inside, ignoring on the outside.

I merely acknowledged his presence with a nod and began to zone deeply, transfixed on my avatar. She really was lovely... I couldn't wait to see what it was like to control another person's body. How strange I would feel to control an alien creature. Just as my thoughts were plummeting in depth, Dr. Augustine waltzed in.

"Everybody ready? I know I am!" She had her hands on her hips and feet shoulder width apart. She was so chipper I was almost sick. The tawny haired gentleman touched my shoulder (which surprised me so much that I jumped a little, for I had forgotten he was even there) and walked back to his avatar. That ass... I _really_ hoped he wasn't interested. I certainly wasn't.

"Let's link up! Everyone follow me." We were led beside the tanning beds (or what looked like tanning beds). She swiftly lifted the tops open one by one and demonstrated how to lay inside them. I was distracted, however, by the scientists who were removing our avatar from their tanks. It took eight people to lift the monstrous aliens onto a stretcher. Were they exceptionally happy? That was startling for jungle dwellers. They typically adapted to be light and nimble. I would especially believe so on a dangerous planet such as this one. Nonetheless, they must have been heavy despite their height. About eight to ten feet, I guessed...

"Clara?" Augustine's voice cut through my brain as my name was uttered aloud. I started. Shit, she was talking to me. Wait, was she? Augh, what to say...

"Sure!" I sputtered without a second thought. I hoped that was the answer she wanted. I felt completely exposed. Awkward... Everyone stood silent, myself included. I felt like there was a bubble in my lungs. She then gestured towards the nearest linking machine and I was confused no more (- Pokemon reference, anyone?).

"... Go on then." She prompted. A smile tilted at my cheeks. The machine seemed bigger than I had first thought. I stepped up beside one and rested my palms on the outside of it for balance before lifting my knees inside. They were very high off the ground.

"Don't fall, heh." Chuckled the now beardless male my age. I blushed a little at his flirtatious behaviour (and partially at my own silly attempt to clamber into this stupid machine) and clumsily slid into the link. I lay on my back and closed my eyes while Augustine lowered the sensory detector over my body. It poked uncomfortably at my arms and legs, but was a lot less troubling than when she closed the lid (she even snuck me a sick little wave goodbye). I was inside this coffin-like machine with green sticky memory gel encasing me. The claustrophobia was clawing at me. How was I supposed to clear my mind in there? I took a deep breath. _Stay calm... It's alright._ I determined that the best strategy to clear my mind would come from going to sleep. I closed my eyes and slowly relaxed my muscles starting from the center of my back and before I knew it, I was wide awake and didn't feel quite like myself.


	5. Chapter 4

I blinked (which seemed much slower than usual). There were gloved hands in my face, snapping, waving, prodding. My eyes were fuzzy, trying to make sense of where I was... what I was.

"You doing ok? Clara?"

"Can you hear me?" It sounded like the two voices were echoing through a glass bottle. Squinching my eyes, I could barely make out the figures leaning over me. It was one of the lab workers. She was wearing an oxygen mask like the ones we were required to wear outdoors. _That must mean..._I gasped and grabbed at my face for an oxygen mask (clocking the male lab assistant in the face in the process). There was none. I had connected. My eyes widened in an attempt to focus for the first time.

"Clara, are you alright?" The female assistant had her arm slung over the facially crippled man to support him. She seemed much smaller than I remembered...

"How are you feeling, Clara?" She smiled up at me.

"I'll tell you how she'll be feeling, she'll feel like a load of-" The woman slapped her hand over the polite gentleman's mouth before he could speak any more. I ignored their comics. _My hands..._ I drew my fingers away. Five, blue fingers waved back at me. Everything was so vivid, including my palms. It was as though my lenses had been cleared and expanded to the point where every minute motion that flitted across my vision caught my eye. Not to mention, my ears seemed hyper-sensitive to all the noises in the room. Even my skin felt different; it was rough almost like a reptile's. I glowed with excitement.

"This is... unlike anything I ever imagined." They ran me through physical tests (to see if there were any quirks in my linkage) and finally disconnected the wires that had been plugged into my arms. I heard a knocking sound (an especially loud one). It was through plastic, three inches thick. I turned to where I heard the noise. There was a viewing room overlooking the white medical room I was in where all the scientists had collected to view their first ever successful link. Augustine shot me a thumbs up which I returned with a nod. She held out her hand forcefully to another scientist and through the plastic I heard her say, _Give me the damn thing._ He handed her his headset while she shot him a nasty look. She then turned to me.

"Hey kid." I heard from the speakers above my head. "When you get outside, head for the giant hut at the far end of the construction site. You'll see it."

Nothing, ever, could describe my excitement. I was about to set foot onto the moon not as a human, but as one of the Na'vi, one of The People. I rose (much to the dismay of some of the medics), and made for the door. I took a deep breath. With all the courage I could muster, I unlatched the lock and pushed the door aside.

Immediately, the smell of fresh dirt filled my nose. The site was a brand new extension that was still under heavy construction. The closest site seemed to imply that a basketball court was in progress. I inhaled deeply. The scent of the earth lowered my adrenaline. Something was different about this body (other than the appearance). Something was... in sync with this planetoid in a way that I knew I could never understand. Nonetheless, I moved forward.

There was nothing I wanted more than to find a reflective surface to examine myself in. I rushed to the nearest water source; it happened to be a puddle. When I gazed into it, I was mesmerized by my own eyes. They were not their usual depressing grey, but a stunning yellow with three tear ducts instead of one, providing for them more moisture and therefore longer opportunities to go without blinking. While I was captivated by them, I noticed something whipping around behind me. I snatched up my braid and spread the fine black hairs that came together at the tip. From within came the pink fibers that formed Tsaheylu, The Bond, with the other creatures on Pandora.

"Wow..." I dropped it, stretching out my arms to trace along them the bio luminescent trails of speckles that swirled over my body.

"Hey, Burke." A man's voice called from behind me. I rose, surprised. It was Erik, the handsome man with (now without) the beard. His Avatar was just as such...

"H-Hi." I sputtered back. He spread his arms with a smile. For some reason, he already adorned a leather cloth about his waist and had tossed his smock.

"What do you think? Amazing, isn't it?" He asked. I nodded (but I was more remarking on his figure than the Avatar process...) His body had a long thick braid that was twisted together with colourful feathers. It was remarkable how different a body had to be to encompass such height. The rib cage was expanded both in length, width, and height. The torso was narrow, and for males, narrow hips and skinny legs accompanied the rest of the body. Females, much like humans, had wider set hips and thicker thighs, so to make reproduction more efficient.

"What're you looking at?" He moved toward me and glanced over my shoulder into the water. His reflection rippled across the surface. "Wow..." He touched his finger to the surface where his eyes were staring up at me. "So that's what we look like, eh?" I smiled and he smiled back.


	6. Preview of Things to Come

Jake said nothing at first. He merely marveled at me. I thought, or liked to think, that he was in disbelief about the means of my journey here. That was just my fantastical take, though.

"Thirty years ago... Shit." He clapped his hand to his head, incredulous.

"Yup. Crazy, huh?" I said, laughing pathetically to myself. "Tell no one what you know." He was shocked.

"Wait, why? No one's gonna-"

"-JUST, please. I can't..." I shook my decorated head. Although he was reluctant, he agreed. An unspoken understanding passed between us.

There was silence for what seemed like an eternity. The fire crackled busily, ever reminding us of the task that was soon to be at hand. War was upon the Na'vi, a war with the very people she knew and loved.

"Thank you, Jake Sully." I finally spake. "Turuk mak tao."


	7. Chapter 5

After Erik came Sean, the misanthrope, Kristoffer, the blonde, and Daniel, the stout one with messy black hair. Although, of course, they looked completely different as Na'vi. Except Daniel... He was still kind of stout. Kristoffer's Na'vi was very lanky and had almost a feminine figure. Then there was Sean. His body was highly toned in a way that his human one never was. I looked away from him with intention lest I be tempted to study him.

"Heya, guys! Long time no see!" Augustine waltzed gracefully over. Her avatar was beautiful, busty, and elegant. The others were shooting her grimaces. She snorted. "I had to let you piggies go first. Don't be all snooty with me now." She brushed past the men and came to my side. "At least you're here, right? I had plenty of other willing little piggies to choose from, but I hand-picked you assholes." They seemed defeated. She grabbed my shoulder. "Ready, champ?"

"Yes, ma'am!" I chimed. Unbeknownst to me, Erik chuckling happily to himself at my enthusiasm. Something about him was... different from every man I had met so far.

With a clap on the shoulder, we all made for the massive straw hut that had been erected at the far end of the site. We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the compound. The hut was filled wall-to-wall with twin-sized cots. Apparently it was the first fully completed part of the Avatar training program area. In the near future, there would be tons of facilities available designed to advance our bodies' potentials. Climbing facilities, treadmills, gardens, and sports fields all designed with Na'vi in mind. (Rhyme unintended, I assure you. I loathe English...)

That evening, we all lay down in our bunks to sleep. If our Na'vi were asleep, we would reconnect to our human bodies. It was the safest way to assure no neurological signals would be lost. The men were on one side and the women were on the other. Augustine locked it down to assure that nothing would get inside and destroy the bodies in the night. Her bed was next to mine. When she finally came and plunged into her mattress, she rolled onto her side facing me.

"So?" She asked.

"... So?"

"So what do you think?" This, I had to ponder. The whole situation was so unfamiliar that it was difficult to say. I wound my thick hair round and round my fingers.

"It's... amazing. But at the same time, I feel detached, you know? I feel like I can never truly understand this body unless I'm out there really experiencing it." She raised her eyebrows as I said this.

"You know how dangerous it is out there, and yet you're itching to go?" Incredulous.

"Yeah, kind of." It was blunt, but true. How could I learn to understand life if I wasn't a part of it? At first, she said nothing. Her brow furrowed and she tapped her fingers on her mattress. I was worried that I had offended her. While normally, my concern for someone's opinion wouldn't necessarily be an issue, I liked her. She represented to me an empowered woman. Brilliant, eloquent, and pretty, she represented everything I wanted to be. She personified a dream that I knew I could never have, but I could live it through her, were we close enough. Then, as if out of nowhere, she sprung to her feet.

"Let's go then." She hissed. I was disturbed.

"What?" I looked around to be sure the others weren't watching. Unfortunately, the one I liked the least was. "Are you crazy? We have no idea what's out there!" I may have been thinking of it, but I wasn't stupid enough to actually do it.

Hushed voice, but still excited. "Let's do it. You and I can be the first people to go out there as our Avatar selves. Plus, I'm dying to get a stab at those plants (literally, heh) and I'm sure you want to see some wildlife." She gazed desparately at me, seeking my motherly approval for her to snatch up all the candy in sight. Statistics argued heavily against our ability to survive. _Fucking hell. Why am I even thinking about this?_ Her eyes were even beginning to brim with artificial tears.

"How would we get back?"

"That's my girl." She yanked me to my feet and pulled me to the door, grabbing the key on the way. The latch turned with a click. Left to right, there was no one. She beckoned me forward. _I can't believe I'm doing this._ We skittered off into the woods, careful to shut the door (although it was impossible to lock because one had to do so from the inside). It was incredibly bright for a dark evening. My body glowed with the same natural luminescence as the plants, although each one possessed different vibrant colours. Patterns lacing and inter-lacing. It was unbelievable. To Augustine, it was heaven. She was already crouched on the ground inspecting root structures. I chuckled. Making sure we were still within sight of the hut, I stepped a few paces away from her into the underbrush.

The sounds of the forest were deafening, especially with my new ears. I was so absorbed with my surroundings I didn't notice that someone was lurking less than two feet away.


	8. Chapter 6

Sean grabbed my mouth and dragged me farther away from Augustine. I scratched at his thick hide, struggling and kicking to the best of my ability. When he was sure that she was far from earshot, he tussled me to the ground, binding my hands behind my back with the closest vines he could snatch. I broke away from his grasp, scrambling to prop myself up against a tree trunk.

"What the fuck is your problem?" I screeched. He stood over me menacingly.

"Listen you," He crouched so that we were at eye level, "You are absolutely not going to speak of this to anyone." I was pissed. I was appalled. I was terrified. He began to undo his smock.

"Don't you fucking touch me, you sick freak." I pressed my back harder against the tree, scraping up the trunk and to my feet. Reciprocation was immediate. Urgently, he swept up my ponytail in his hand. It felt like there was a pike shoved through my brain. I crippled, beginning to weep in both pain and shame.

"Give me a moment. I'm going to speak with Augustine, ok, dear?" Using the grappling hook that was attached to my skull, he fastened me to a high tree branch. My vision was blurry with tears and affliction. Five frigging minutes on the planet and I was already in more trouble than I had ever been in in my entire life. And it wasn't even from the wildlife! _Jesus..._ I struggled with my bindings as he wandered in Augustine's direction. _The only way out is to..._ My mind weaved the horrible solution together as he disappeared into the woods.

Using momentum, I lifted my legs from the ground. I bit my lip so hard that I tasted blood. The distress was almost more than I could take. A ring of blackness began to creep over my line of sight that resembled long term suffocation. After what seemed like an eternity, I scooped my arms under my levitating legs before sending my feet back to the earth. I didn't pause to recover from the agony I had just endured, but instead began to gnaw on the vines that were constricting me. Fortunately, Na'vi have sharp canines. Unfortunately, Sean was coming through the clearing.

His eyes locked on mine just as I severed the last bit of vine. We both froze, waiting to see what the other one was going to do. _Maybe he's not an outdoors person. If I just-_ Before I could think, he was sprinting at me. I bolted in the opposite direction, but his hands caught my ankles and I skidded to the ground on my stomach. He was on top of me in an instant, straddling me and gripping my hands with terrible force. Squirming was the most I could muster.

"Sean, what the hell is this? Get off!"

"I can't do that, dear. You see, all of this has a purpose, reason. I am a scientist after all." Pressing my hands to my back with one palm, he wove my ponytail in his fingers with the other and forced me to my feet. "Now, then..." He attached my hair to the same tree branch and bound my hands and feet, chuckling to himself sadistically. "You'd think that after so many films I would have figured out to bind both." As he rose from my ankles, he brushed his lips over my thigh. "Funny..." He gazed up at me with a twisted smile.

"Fuck you!" I was too scared of the potential torture to move a muscle. How could I, a strong female scientist in a male field, succumb to his filth?

He undid his smock, dropping it to the ground. I turned away. I had no interest in experiencing this willingly in any way.

"You see, Clara, I am a biologist specializing in Darwinism. I'm sure you're aware of what that implies." He pressed his chest up against mine and reached around my back for the ties on my scrubs. _Now's my chance_. I hissed and lashed out in an attempt to headbutt him. I missed. He merely stepped back and shook his head.

"Back off, asshole." I groaned. My skull was pulsating in agony. He cackled.

"Now, now, Clara. You of all people should understand the need for scientific experimentation. There is no documented history of Na'vi sexual behaviour." He approached me once more and slipped his hands around my waist once more. I felt my clothes leave my body. "So you can understand my curiosity in the mat-"

"No, I can't! Sean, I know you don't want to do this! This is psychotic!" I closed my eyes. "Sean, please, don't do this."

"Clara, if I do, I'll be the first one ever to do so..." His hand groped at my lower aft. "And so will you. You must see how tempting this is. There's no one more suited than yourself. I certainly couldn't pull this off with Grace." He kissed at the nape of my neck whilst I writhed in discomfort (although, my body felt much more sensitive to touch than my previous one).

I felt his hand slide between my legs.

"Sean, please, no..." The worst combination of sensations imaginable were coursing through my body. The unwanted pleasure, the discomfort of being naked, the extreme pain resonating from my skull. I was miserable. He, clearly, was not.

He carefully explored my every curve, pressing his fingers against my skin and dragging them here and there. _God dammit, Clara, think. You're a scientist, for Christ's sake._ I knew I could not tolerate another escape like the one I had just executed. The pain was far too much... If I were to try it again... _I'll pass out... which means._ I braced myself for the pain then raised my feet from the ground again. Sean stepped back.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" My teeth ground together, my nails clamped into my thighs, but there was nothing that could lessen the misery. The look on his face expressed pure confusion. _As long as he doesn't figure it out... I'll... be..._


	9. Chapter 7

I awoke within the linking machine. It was dark, quiet. I lifted the lid and swung my legs over the side.

"Ugh, my head..." The back of my head was throbbing as though I were still in my avatar's body. How incredible... My brain had produced the same signals as the avatar's, so the pain transferred. I glanced around. The lab was empty except for a guy from janitorial. My eyes fell on Sean's link. _That ass had better take my body back._

"Clay?" I looked up. Augustine was standing in the doorway.

"Hey." Frowning, I met her halfway to the door.

"What's wrong? Didn't you have fun?" She elbowed me playfully in the ribs. "Sean told me you guys had wanted to hang out just the two of you." Winking, she made for a computer. I couldn't believe it. That idiot had somehow convinced her that he and I were...

"No- No, no, no! Grace, he was-"

"Grace? Haha! I was wondering when you'd finally chum up." She shook her head and took a seat in a computer chair in front of a desktop camera. "I swear..."

"No. What? I just-" I couldn't even complete my sentences; the rage that consumed me was enough to blur my reason. "Look, I have absolutely no interest in Sean. C-Can we leave? I'd rather talk about this in private." I was terrified that he would wake any minute.

"Can't do that, sorry. I have to record my video log. You really should too, it's important for good research." She adjusted the camera to face her appropriately. I was completely exasperated. Why didn't she understand? Well, I suppose I didn't really explain... but there was no time for me to linger. I knew I had to get out of there.

"Look, can you come to my room when you're finished? I really need to talk to you." Before she could say another word, I walked with intention to my room. Once there, I sat on the bed to wait. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes. A lifetime passed in that room.

Clang.

"Hey, sport. Wouldja let me in?" In she came and took a seat on the bed beside me. "Sooo, what's going on?" She looked serious now. I think she understood the gravity of my frustration.

"Sean... tried to..." I explained, she listened. Saying nothing, she rose.

"I'll go talk to him." A pit collapsed in my stomach.

"No! N-No..." She looked appalled.

"Are you joking? I don't want someone like that on my staff! Don't be an idiot, Clay-"

"I'm not being an idiot, I'm being rational." Her expression increased exponentially in shock. "Look, you spent millions of dollars on this training, these avatars. Why would you tank what's worth millions just because of one case that didn't really... well, turn out?" Her arms dropped to her sides. Clearly she did not agree with me.

"Clay," Hands went to hips, "That sicko tries to take advantage of you, and you're worried about our budget? That's ridiculous and you know it!"

"Grace, if he gets ratted out and we lose the company's money, how long do you think the guys in charge are going to let us keep this experiment going, huh? There's no real reason for them to keep us. In fact, they're looking for reasons to get rid of us. If we fuck it up in the first, what, two _days_, they're going to shut us down!" And then there were no more questions. In fact, there was nothing to be said at all. We found ourselves in an irrevocable position. She looked as defeated as I felt.

"There's nothing we can do."

Augustine was now pacing up and down trying to think of a way out of this stink. I would have paced myself, but there was no damn space in there to begin with. She paused, walked to the door, and left. Again I was alone, and again an eternity passed before morning.


End file.
